Explore what it meant to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God in the earliest years of the faith. Early Christians recognized God's Kingdom as the primary authority in their lives, avoiding entanglements with worldly politics and war.

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Course Content

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What is a Kingdom Christian?
Five Laws of the Kingdom Life
Two Kingdoms
War
Separation from the World
How to Be a Radical Christian
When Good Men Do Nothing
Kingdom Parables of Jesus
When Kingdoms Collide
Voting and Politics
Survey: Christian Citizenship
Additional Readings: Christian Citizenship
Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

Christian Citizenship is a free course taught by David Bercot on what it means to live first as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. The lessons present early Christian convictions about the Kingdom of God as a present reality with its own laws, values, and allegiance to Jesus as King. The course contrasts that kingdom with the kingdoms of this world and asks how Christians should respond when earthly expectations conflict with the commands of Christ.

Across the lessons, Bercot discusses the Sermon on the Mount, obedience to Jesus, separation from the world, war, political involvement, voting, civil disobedience, and the kingdom parables of Jesus. Several lessons also address common objections, including whether nonresistance means doing nothing in the face of evil. The course is especially focused on how the early Christians understood citizenship, loyalty, persecution, and the command to overcome evil with good.

Kingdom citizenship Two kingdoms Obedience to Jesus Sermon on the Mount Nonresistance Separation from the world Politics and voting Civil obedience and disobedience Early Christian witness Overcoming evil with good

What You Will Study

  • The meaning of being a Kingdom Christian and recognizing Jesus as ultimate lawgiver and king
  • The doctrine of the two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world
  • Why the early Christians saw themselves as strangers, pilgrims, and citizens of another kingdom
  • How Jesus’ commandments, especially the Sermon on the Mount, shape Christian citizenship
  • Early Christian teaching on war, enemy love, nonresistance, and trusting God
  • Separation from the world without withdrawing from faithful Christian service
  • How Christians should think about voting, politics, government jobs, and public authority
  • What to do when obedience to Christ conflicts with the laws or demands of human governments

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • What is a Kingdom Christian?
  • What does it mean to seek first the Kingdom of God?
  • How did early Christians understand the difference between God’s Kingdom and earthly kingdoms?
  • Why did the early Christians avoid war and political entanglement?
  • How should Christians respond to evil if they do not take up arms or seek political power?
  • What role do prayer, fasting, sacrificial love, and overcoming evil with good play in Christian citizenship?
  • How should Christians read Jesus’ kingdom parables?
  • Are Jesus’ commandments optional, temporary, or binding for Christians today?
  • When must Christians obey Caesar, and when must they obey God rather than men?
  • How should Christians think about voting and political media?
  • Can Christians work in government jobs without violating New Testament teaching?
  • What does separation from the world mean in daily Christian life?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

What is a Kingdom Christian?

This opening lesson defines a Kingdom Christian as someone whose primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of God and to Jesus as King. It contrasts that allegiance with the governments, politics, wars, changing values, and social expectations of this world.

  • What is a Kingdom Christian?
  • Why is Jesus treated as the Christian’s ultimate lawgiver?
  • How does Kingdom citizenship affect politics, war, wealth, oaths, and daily obedience?
  • Why does Bercot emphasize that Jesus’ commandments do not become outdated?

Five Laws of the Kingdom Life

This lesson presents five principles for living under Christ’s rule after becoming a citizen of God’s Kingdom. Bercot stresses obeying Jesus’ commandments, not adding human rules as if they were Christ’s laws, focusing on weightier matters, avoiding pride, and expecting hardship.

  • Are Jesus’ commandments optional for Christians?
  • What is the difference between obeying Christ and adding extra human requirements?
  • Why do love, mercy, justice, and forgiveness receive special emphasis?
  • Why should Kingdom life not be expected to be easy?

Two Kingdoms

This lesson explains the doctrine of the two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. Bercot argues that the Kingdom of God is present now among true disciples of Jesus and has its own laws, values, leadership, and worldview.

  • What is the doctrine of the two kingdoms?
  • Is the Kingdom of God only future, or is it present now?
  • Why can the Kingdom of God not be merged with earthly governments?
  • How did early Christians view Caesar, government authority, and allegiance to God?

War

This lesson surveys how the early Christians viewed war in light of Jesus’ teaching to love enemies. Bercot contrasts Old Testament warfare with New Testament discipleship and presents early Christian nonresistance as a literal application of Christ’s commands.

  • How should Christians view war?
  • How did early Christians understand Jesus’ command to love enemies?
  • What about Old Testament wars and common objections from the New Testament?
  • Can Christians trust God without taking up arms?

Separation from the World

This lesson examines New Testament teaching on being separate from the world while remaining faithful to Christian service. Bercot connects separation from the world with early Christian refusal to be absorbed into politics, nationalism, and worldly values.

  • What does separation from the world mean?
  • Why did Jesus say his disciples are not of the world?
  • How did early Christians understand their loyalty to the Kingdom of God?
  • Why did they decline certain public offices and political roles?

How to Be a Radical Christian

This lesson focuses on becoming a thinking Christian by practicing critical thinking, careful reading, and responsible research. Bercot warns against reading inherited assumptions into Scripture and urges students to examine evidence and primary sources where possible.

  • How can Christians develop critical thinking skills?
  • How can readers avoid adding assumptions to Scripture?
  • Why is it important to distinguish what a passage says from what it does not say?
  • Why should Christians seek primary sources when researching a topic?

When Good Men Do Nothing

This lesson responds to the claim that refusing war and politics means doing nothing against evil. Bercot argues that prayer, fasting, sacrificial love, and overcoming evil with good are active Christian responses rooted in trust in God.

  • Is refusing war and politics the same as doing nothing?
  • How did pagan critics reproach early Christians for avoiding war and government service?
  • How should Christians respond to evil?
  • What does it mean to overcome evil with good?

Kingdom Parables of Jesus

This lesson discusses how early Christians understood Jesus’ kingdom parables. Bercot emphasizes reading the parables in light of Jesus’ repeated teaching about obedience, kingdom fruit, watchfulness, and living in an obedient love-faith relationship with Christ.

  • How did early Christians read the kingdom parables of Jesus?
  • What do the parables teach about obedience and kingdom fruit?
  • Why does Bercot warn against forcing parables into later theological systems?
  • What do the parables say about readiness for judgment?

When Kingdoms Collide

This lesson considers what Christians should do when human law conflicts with obedience to Christ. Bercot lays out principles concerning government authority, normal obedience to civil law, obeying God rather than men, persecution, fleeing, and remaining faithful.

  • When should Christians obey civil authorities?
  • When must Christians obey God rather than men?
  • What should Christians expect when obedience to Christ brings punishment?
  • What does Bercot say about fleeing persecution and refusing armed resistance?

Voting and Politics

This lesson addresses voting, political involvement, and government work from the standpoint of Kingdom citizenship. Bercot argues that the apostles and pre-Nicene Christians stayed out of political affairs and focused on spreading the Kingdom of God.

  • How should Christians think about voting and politics?
  • Why does political involvement pull people into the world’s way of thinking?
  • What questions should Christians ask before taking a government job?
  • Why did early Christians focus on the Kingdom of God as the answer to human problems?

Survey: Christian Citizenship

This lesson is listed as a survey for the Christian Citizenship course. No transcript sample was provided, so its specific content cannot be summarized from the supplied material.

  • How does this survey relate to the Christian Citizenship course?
  • What feedback or reflection does the course ask from students?

Additional Readings: Christian Citizenship

This lesson is listed as additional readings for the Christian Citizenship course. No transcript sample was provided, so the particular readings or topics cannot be identified from the supplied material.

  • What additional readings are included with the course?
  • How do the readings support the Christian Citizenship lessons?

What students are saying

4.65 out of 5 — 40 reviews
Daniel Segura Aug 24, 2026
★★★★★
Good insights from David Bercot on two kingdoms, non-resistance, staying clear of politics, and the biblical reasons for such positions. It's a major shock compared with how I was raised, and much of it took (and is taking) some time to digest. My one critique is I would appreciate a full-discussion on the proper role of government. Sometimes David Bercot says a government rightly bears the sword per Romans 13, and in the Voting and Politics gives an example of the impermissibility of being involved in political office as the governments do not promote turning the cheek, and do not…
James Aylard Jul 7, 2026
★★★★☆
A challenging class with a lot to think about. I do wonder if the civil context in which the early church struggled and thrived necessarily maps onto our post-Nicene society, but appreciate the thoughtful presentation by Mr. Bercot.
Boaz Sweazy Jun 24, 2026
★★★☆☆
Very insightful. And a good reminder of what we need to do to have Christian Citizenship.
Jonathan Richardson Mar 8, 2026
★★★★★
Really incredible course!!!! Thanks!!!! I learned a ton here!!!!
Verified Student Dec 7, 2025
★★★★★
Very educational
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Christian Citizenship

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Course Includes

  • 12 Lessons
  • 10 Quizzes
  • Course Certificate